A Level Results in Kent and Medway schools

The 2014 Kent and Medway A Level results have a familiar look to them, with The Judd School once again topping the league table of state and private schools with 62% of its students attaining at least 2 A Grades and a B Grade.

The only other state school in the top seven is Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar, with 41%.

There are a number of tables available, showing different schools to best advantage, but for schools with a lower percentage of top grades, a better measure is the average point score per A Level entry, although Judd is still top again on 257.0. On both measures, Bennett Memorial is as usual the top non-selective school on 212.2 (7% AAB), closely followed by St Simon Stock, 208.9 and then St George’s CofE, Gravesend with 204.6. Bennett is above 7 of Kent’s grammar schools……….

Many of the non-selective schools focus on vocational subjects, with Northfleet Technology College heading the list with 86% of its students achieving at least 3 ‘substantial vocational subjects’. It is followed by Hadlow College, 83% and then in third place, at last we see Marlowe Academy with a good outcome at 76%, although with a much smaller cohort than the others, of 14 students.

One of the biggest problems with looking at the success of Sixth Form courses is the starting point for, as schools chase higher league table places, or seek to limit numbers, the Grades to enter the courses rise year on year. For 2016 entry at the top end, The Judd School proposes to ask all students to achieve a minimum standard of 65 points across the 10 best GCSEs (10 points for A* grade, 9 for A, 8 for B……) will be required for 2016 entry, rising from 60 currently, reflecting increasing proportions of the highest grades achieved. In this case a high priority for the school is to keep its sixth form down to a reasonable size of 180 students as its own Year 11 sees over 50% of their GCSE Grades at the highest possible level of A*, up from 40% a few years ago. Like most grammar schools, it has gone co-educational in the sixth form to secure the best talent. This trend has really opened up the market in sixth form courses as many students now happily change schools to seek the most appropriate courses for their needs. Other grammar schools operate a variety of entrance criteria, ranging from the above points score down to at least 44 points, or GCSE grades in specific subjects, or some combination of these.

However, government’s decision to reduce school sixth form funding is already having and will have a wide and serious effect on many young people’s choices. A number of Kent MPs and headteachers have spoken out this year about the consequences, especially for grammar schools, but non-selective schools will also be hit. What we are and will be seeing is a reduction in the number of courses being offered in many schools, as smaller subjects become financially non-viable. These may include subjects such as modern and classical foreign languages, music, design technology, computing and politics, with schools focusing on subjects where they can attract sufficient numbers to put on larger classes. Smaller schools will encounter proportionately greater problems. The private schools must be rubbing their hands!

This move will inevitably have the effect of snuffing out some of the A Level sixth forms of non-selective schools, which often provide valuable courses for students capable of getting A Level passes, but not at the high grades expected in grammar schools. They may well therefore lose any opportunity to progress on an academic course if their GCSE Grades are insufficient to secure a place at the local grammar school (with requirements that continue to rise!), unless there is more local co-operation across the board between the two types of school to maintain provision. Some areas, such as Gravesham, are already going down this route, others keep their successes to themselves.

1 comment

Where was Weald of Kent in your A level report please. The Telegraph list puts them above many of your reported schools and you haven't even mentioned them! An oversight perhaps?PETER: As I remarked there are a number of different tables to judge schools by. For grammar schools I have chosen the one that identifies the highest proportion of students with grades of at least AAB, also quoted in several newspapers. On this measure Weald of Kent with 19% comes 17th in Kent, some way below my cut off. If I had chosen average grades for grammar schools, I agree it would have done better in 10th position out of 32. The Daily Telegraph online table gives a third measure as well, average grade per A Level entry, and here it comes 9th above several of those in my chosen measure. However, I didn't choose that measure. Sorry. I still think we all know that Weald of Kent is an excellent grammar school.

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